


Too Much Heart

by BeStillMySlashyHeart



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, POV Outsider
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 11:36:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17807273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeStillMySlashyHeart/pseuds/BeStillMySlashyHeart
Summary: Alex and Michael are together. And while they haven't actually announced that fact yet, they certainly aren't hiding it. Instead of telling everyone, they decide to just let them all figure it out on their own.





	1. The Boxers (Isobel)

**Author's Note:**

> these may seem familiar to many of you - that's because almost all of these chapters (except the last one) were previously posted on tumblr as little ficlet oneshots

“Alex can you grab that for me?” Maria DeLuca yelled across the bar.

Isobel watched idly as Alex Manes made his way across the room. She was curious what Maria wanted, though more importantly she needed something to distract her from the snark fest going on in front of her between Max and Michael. Somehow she’d gotten them to agree to a night out all together but she was starting to regret it. They’d been sniping at each other all night and she’d been driven to spying on people she barely knew.

But perhaps it was a blessing in disguise. She took a sip of her beer as Alex reached up for something way over his head. The stretch caused his shirt to ride up and the band of his boxers became readily visible.

Isobel spat out her drink, hitting both of her brothers.

She knew those boxers. She knew the stupid little alien heads dotting the band with that symbol of theirs interspaced. She’d fucking bought those boxers, even had them special made cuz she was the kind of person who put way too much thought and effort into a gag gift.

What was Alex Manes doing wearing Michael’s boxers??

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On tumblr - https://www.bestillmyslashyheart.tumblr.com/182696005724


	2. The Vision (Maria)

“Do it!” Liz urged. 

Maria waggled her fingers. “Come on! Give it here!”

Alex rolled his eyes at his friends but gave in. He reached a hand across the table and laid it in front of Maria. “I want a good future, ok? Or I want my money back.” He teased her.

She laughed and picked up his hand in hers. She rolled it so the palm of his hand was facing upwards and she slowly dragged a finger across it. She wasn’t exactly psychic, well not always. Only in about 30% of her ‘clients’ did she actually see something. Usually when they were feeling something very strongly. The rest she just used context clues and spat out some bullshit. 

She was curious what she would get from Alex. He was normally so closed off to her and Liz that she’d taken advantage of his good mood and had been gently egging him on to let her do a palm reading all night. He resisted at first but he’d learned a long time ago that it was worthless to try and ignore the combined power of Maria and Liz working together, so he quickly caved. 

At first there was nothing. Just the sounds of a busy bar and the warm heat of his hand in hers. And then. 

Oh and then.

_Oh god, she moaned. Wait no not her- Alex. This was Alex’s memory. Alex’s memory of miles of hard muscles and golden skin glowing in the fading light. Lips kissing and sucking their way down her-his neck. The feeling of utter bliss and contentment. And love._

“So? What do you see?” Liz asked. Maria looked at her without seeing. Her mind was still caught up in Alex’s. She’d never  _felt_  what another person feels before. Nothing’s ever been that strong. 

She focused back on Alex’s hand.

_She- Alex laughed. A hand was gently stroking her -HIS dammit, she reminded herself- side, over his hips. The touch was light, right on the edge of sensual and ticklish. Alex got anxious as the kisses started to go lower and so did the hand. The warm mouth on his nipples almost distracted him from the hand nearing the stump; almost, but not quite. She tried to move it out of his way but the hand gripped tight at the knee. Gentle caresses relaxed ~~her~~  Alex enough that he didn’t pull away again. His eyes closed as the hand brushed the scar. Without sight, the feelings were heightened. And oh god, the press of lips on the scar brought tears to his eyes. His eyes opened and stared down as he buried a hand in a mass of curls, just as the other man looked up and smiled._

_“_ Guerin.” She said out loud. Alex ripped his hand from hers. 

“What?” Liz asked beside her but neither Maria nor Alex looked at her. Alex’s eyes were full of caution, a stark difference from the loving eyes she’d just witnessed.

 _Oh._ Turns out mystery museum guy’s got a name after all.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On tumblr - https://www.bestillmyslashyheart.tumblr.com/182721839639


	3. The Hat (Max)

Max murmured a quiet thanks as he took his food from the woman. He stepped aside to let the person behind him order and set his food down on the little table set up with the condiments. As he started to doctor his food, a motion in the corner of his eye caught his attention.

Michael was getting up from his truck and saying something to Alex as the other man appeared to make himself comfortable. Max had found that pairing odd but the two of them seemed to be friends lately. Or at least he’d seen them together at the Pony and once he passed Alex leaving as he drove up to Michael’s Airstream. As far as Max knew, they hadn’t really been friends in high school and they didn’t exactly have a lot in common now so he wasn’t entirely sure how the friendship had happened but-

Oh.

Michael started walking away and as he turned towards him, Max could see a dopey grin on his face. Behind him Alex shook his head and resituated the black cowboy hat perched on his head.

Michael’s hat. On Alex’s head.

Max felt simultaneously like nothing and everything made sense. On the one hand, no one - and Max truly meant NO ONE - was allowed to so much as touch Michael’s hat let alone wear it. On the other hand, it would explain their sudden closeness. Or actually, now that he thought about it, not so sudden.

Max was too busy staring at Alex (at the hat more like) that he didn’t even notice Michael coming up next to him until the man spoke.

“Please tell me there’s a hotdog under all that ketchup.”

Max startled and jerked his hand. The ketchup spilled onto his hand from the dispenser. The dispenser he’d been holding the whole time. He looked at his hotdog and idly he hoped there was still a hotdog under the mountain of ketchup now piled on it. He made a noise of disgust and reached for a paper towel or something while Michael laughed at him.

As Michael turned to get food of his own, Max made a noise to get his attention. Michael gave him a questioning look but Max didn’t do anything more than jerk his head towards Alex and raise an eyebrow. Michael looked over and couldn’t help the smile that spread over his face. Max smiled back as Michael just shrugged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On tumblr - https://www.bestillmyslashyheart.tumblr.com/182743217949


	4. The Massage (Liz)

Liz sagged against the counter and eyed the room. It had definitely calmed down but tonight as a whole had been a nightmare. She wasn’t even supposed to work tonight but her dad had practically begged her to lend a hand because they were so swamped. Thankfully, with closing less than an hour away, most people had cleared out. Only a handful were still eating. Or just lingering, she thought with a glare at the table in the corner. 

Michael and Alex, Roswell’s latest resident odd couple, had finished eating over an hour ago and yet they hadn’t moved. They just sat there, sometimes talking, mostly just sitting. She had wandered by a couple of times refilling their drinks and there wasn’t much happening. 

She took her moment of respite to watch them for a moment. She wasn’t sure when the two of them had started whatever it was they had going on. All she knew was that at some point they had become a thing. Slowly, the two of them were together more than they weren’t and she had seen more than a few casual touches that were definitely more than friendly. Nothing overt but they weren’t exactly hiding it. 

Liz just didn’t know what to make of it. She knew Alex had had a guy back in high school but other than that, he’d never talked about his love life and he wasn’t changing his habits now. Part of her worried that they weren’t on the same page, that one of them was more invested in the other. She wanted to be worried about Alex but she had seen how Michael looked at him and she knew if one of them was in too deep now, it wasn’t Alex. Liz just hoped Alex knew what he was doing.

Her attention was drawn away from the two men by a table getting up. She busied herself for a while with bussing the table and helping other customers before the two caught her attention again with their bickering. It wasn’t overt but in the relatively empty diner, their voices carried just enough for her to hear them arguing about something. 

She meandered over, not terribly subtly. 

“I know it hurts. You don’t need to be so goddamn stubborn about it.” Michael was saying.

“It’s fine.” Alex insisted but Liz could hear the pain in his voice. Whatever was bothering him was enough that he couldn’t hide it as well as he normally did. He started to say something else when he saw her. “Hey, Liz.”

“Hey,” she greeted in return. “You guys want the bill, or…?” 

Michael looked at Alex. Alex rolled his eyes. “Can I get a milkshake? Please?”

She smiled and nodded. “Usual?” Alex nodded back. “Michael?” He shook his head and she left.

While she was in the back, two more tables emptied out. Only Michael and Alex and one other couple remained and Liz was counting the minutes until she could kick them out. She was reorganizing condiments behind the counter when she started to pick up more of their conversation.

“There’s almost no one here anymore. It’s just me. And Liz.” She heard Michael say.

There was a long silence before she heard a deep sigh followed by the scrape of a chair along the floor. She heard another sound she couldn’t place but her dad called her name. Grabbing Alex’s milkshake, she went over to their table and paused briefly at the sight.

Alex had scooted his chair over enough so that he could put his leg up on Michael’s lap. His body was slumped half onto the table and his eyes were closed as Michael gently massaged his leg. Liz had never seen where the prosthetic met Alex’s leg but she could probably give a pretty solid guess right about now.

Michael saw her and raised an eyebrow at the milkshake in her hands. She shook off her surprise and placed it in front of Alex. “We’re closing in thirty minutes and I will not hesitate to throw you both out.” She warned them with a grin. Alex smiled and thanked her.

On her way back to the kitchen, she shot them a final glance. In the nearly twenty years that Liz had known him, she’d never seen Alex let his guard down and be vulnerable like that. She smiled as she heard more gentle bickering come from their table, letting the sound carry her into the back. 

The two of them were going to be fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On tumblr - https://www.bestillmyslashyheart.tumblr.com/182793206724


	5. The Breakfast (Kyle)

Kyle didn’t recognize the truck in the driveway. It wasn’t Alex’s, that he knew. He threw his own car in park and got out, shielding his eyes from the sun with the coffee tray. He eyed the truck for a moment more before making his way to the front door. 

He was surprised to hear voices, plural, carry through the window. He had made plans with Alex to go over some of the developments in his work with the elder Manes and it wasn’t a conversation he wanted to have in front of whatever guest Alex was entertaining. He juggled the coffee tray and the bag of notes he’d brought until he had a free enough hand to knock on the door.

“It’s open!” He heard Alex yell. Sure enough, when he tried the door it swung open with ease. Kyle walked in quietly, the conversation inside now fully audible. His mouth started to water when he smelled the bacon.

“I’m just saying, you don’t exactly have a lot of experience with a stove! Forgive me if I don’t trust your cooking!” Alex was saying.

“Did you or did you not eat dinner last night?” Came the reply and Kyle paused. He knew that voice - Michael Guerin. 

He had heard from Liz and Maria that Alex was spending time with Guerin - possibly even dating him - but he hadn’t seen them together himself. And he certainly wasn’t expecting to see him cooking breakfast in his boxers in Alex’s kitchen first thing in the morning.

“That was a frozen dinner!” Alex was saying. “All you did was take it out of a box and stick it in the oven. Doesn’t really count as cooking.” Alex was sitting at the kitchen table. He was more dressed than Michael but he obviously wasn’t planning on going anywhere today. Not in worn sweatpants and ratty old band t-shirt. Two crutches leaned against the table next to him. 

Michael eyed him over his shoulder as he turned the bacon in the pan. “I don’t starve you know. I can cook.”

“You literally don’t have a stove.” Alex shot back. 

“And yet.” Michael replied. “I end up cooking more than you do. Why are you acting like this is the first time I’ve cooked you breakfast?” 

“Oh please. You usually go and buy it and pretend you cooked it.” Alex teased him. “Don’t think I don’t notice.”

Michael moved the pan off the stove and put the bacon on two separate plates already filled with scrambled eggs. “I cook some of the time!” He insisted.

Alex hummed in mock agreement. Michael shot him a glare as he put the plates down on the table. Alex only smiled in response. 

Kyle didn’t know what to do. He was still standing in the doorway. He didn’t want to intrude on their moment but he kind of really wanted to drink his coffee. 

“Morning, dude.” Michael said suddenly. It took Kyle a moment to realize that he was talking to him. He blinked and shook his head.

“Uh, morning. Sorry I didn’t know you were going to be here.” He apologized as he gestured with the coffee tray. He had only brought two. Michael just shrugged so Kyle put his bag down and handed a cup to Alex and taking a long sip of the other.

“No worries. Not much of a coffee drinker. You want any food? We’ve got more eggs and bacon I can whip up real quick.” Michael offered but Kyle waved him off.

“Thanks but I already ate.” Michael nodded and started to dig in. 

“Sorry.” Alex said to Kyle. “I meant to be ready when you got here but it’s been a rather - slow morning.” Kyle was amused to see a faint blush spread across his cheeks as he took another sip of his coffee before he turned his attention to his breakfast.

“I’m not in a rush.” Kyle said. “You two just take your time.” He leaned back in his chair and sipped his coffee slowly, his eyes closing as he relaxed. The two men picked up their gentle bickering and he smiled. 

He enjoyed living alone but there was something about sitting around the table, enjoying a home cooked meal, and listening to two people who loved each other nitpick that gave him the feeling of home. 

He wasn’t in a rush at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On tumblr - https://www.bestillmyslashyheart.tumblr.com/182838406894


	6. The Advice (Noah)

Noah stopped his car and leaned his forehead against the steering wheel. How many times had he done this? Gone chasing after his wife to another man’s home? He was tired. So very tired. 

He let loose a heavy sigh and got out. The scrapyard was deserted at this time of day, which is what he’d been hoping for. He didn’t want to have another marital spat in front of witnesses. Noah headed for the Airstream but stopped when he heard quiet laughter. He followed the sound to the other side of the trailer, to a part of the yard he hadn’t been to before. It was more secluded and shaded from the afternoon sun. He raised a hand to keep the glare out of his eye and made out two forms by a workbench. He stepped forward into the shade until he could see more clearly.

He wasn’t expecting what he got.

It wasn’t like it was a secret that Michael had a thing going with Alex Manes but they were usually fairly discrete. 

This was not.

Michael was leaning against a workbench, his shirt lying on the ground a few feet away and his jeans obviously open and sagging halfway down his ass. Perched on the bench in front of him sat Alex with his legs wrapped tightly around Michael’s waist and his hands buried in his hair. He was still fully clothed but from the way Michael’s hands were pushing his shirt up his chest, he wouldn’t be for very long. The two men were too engrossed in each other to have heard him approach so Noah made a few obnoxious fake coughs to get their attention. 

They broke away from each other with a wet gasp, both panting a little. They pulled back until they saw who had disturbed them and then, seeing that it was only Noah, they fell back into each other. Alex’s hands slid into Michael’s curls, cupping the back of his head while Michael’s hands fell to the table, resting on either side of Alex’s hips. They were still pressed tightly against each other but Noah now had Michael’s attention. Alex had buried his head in Michael’s neck. Based on the blissful look on Michael’s face, he wasn’t just resting it there.

Noah coughed again and looked away briefly. “Have you seen Isobel?” He finally broke the silence. 

Michael started to shake his head then nodded. “She stayed at Max’s.”

Noah nodded to himself. It’s what he had expected but Michael’s was closer so he’d come here first. He started to turn away and leave the two men alone again when Michael spoke up. 

“It’s not easy for her you know.” Noah turned around. Michael had detached himself Alex slightly. He was now turned mostly towards Noah, enough that Noah could see he wasn’t wearing anything under his jeans and he quickly diverted his gaze back to Michael’s face. He looked surprisingly serious. “Her powers screw with her more than she likes to admit. It’s why she doesn’t use them if she can avoid it. But lately...well lately she’s had to use them more and more. And getting into other people’s minds messes with hers. She gets confused a lot. Some days she even seems to forget who she is. It’s like there someone else walking around in her body.” He shrugged slightly so as not to dislodge Alex. “The episodes will get shorter and shorter until they stop. But there’s no telling how long it will take. You just gotta ride it out.”

Noah didn’t know how to respond. He was still getting used to the whole alien thing. He and Isobel hadn’t exactly had any in depth conversations about what it meant for her to be from another planet. That was something that they really needed to fix. And soon, it would seem.

“I know this isn’t easy.” Alex spoke up, surprising Noah. In a way he was grateful. Michael was used to this kind of stuff but Alex was almost as new to it as Noah was. “But I would suggest you try not to get too angry? Give her some space and time and let her talk.” He nudged Michael’s shoulder gently. “These guys have been keeping this secret for a long time. Getting them to open up now is like pulling teeth sometimes. And it’s not because they don’t want to. They just literally don’t know how.” 

Noah nodded. He understood, or he was trying to understand. The conversation when Isobel had finally told him was proof enough that Alex was right. It had taken hours just for her to be able to form the words enough to tell him the truth. 

“Yeah, okay.” He gave them a little wave. “Thanks guys. I’ll see you later.” 

As he turned to leave, he saw Alex wrap his legs around Michael’s waist and reel him back in. He could hear Michael’s chuckle turn into a groan as he got in the car and he made sure to turn up the music as he left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On tumblr - https://www.bestillmyslashyheart.tumblr.com/182846083101


	7. The Kiss (Jesse)

Jesse was packed into a corner of a run down bar and he could not want to be here any less. Unfortunately he hadn’t really had much say in the whole affair. The base had a visiting VIP who had wanted to take in the local culture and insisted they go to a local bar for a drink. The Wild Pony was about the only real local bar Jesse knew of so that’s where he’d taken him.

 

He was mildly annoyed with everything from the moment they entered but it wasn’t until a few minutes ago that he got pissed. He watched as Alex, his _son_ walked up to the bar with Michael fucking Guerin. Jesse had made himself perfectly clear on what behaviour was acceptable for a decorated airman and Alex was throwing it back in his face. Didn’t he understand that his behavior was a reflection not only on himself but on Jesse too?

 

He shook his head and tried to pay attention to his guest but his mind kept wandering to the men at the bar. At the drive-in, Jesse had thought they were friends but now…

 

They weren’t doing anything inappropriate, even keeping a polite distance between them but Jesse sensed that there was something more. He’d known about Alex’s predilection for years but he’d always done whatever was necessary to make sure Alex knew to keep it far away from him so he’d never had to be faced with it.

 

The group of people between himself and his son cleared out and suddenly he could hear their conversation.

 

“We could just tell them, you know?” Guerin was saying but Alex was shaking his head, a small on his lips.

 

“We never even told them we were dating and they all figured it out just fine.” Alex said. Jesse felt his stomach turned to knots. How could his son be so brazen as to say such things in public? Admit to consorting with the likes of Guerin? He didn’t understand it.

 

“We could have told them, though. Would’ve made the process much faster.” Guerin was saying. Jesse struggled to follow. What process?

 

Alex turned his body to face Guerin and coincidentally, face Jesse as well. He shrugged. “I liked how we did it. It didn’t feel like it was something that needed a big announcement, you know? We were just us and everyone else wisened up on their own time. I don’t think we need to make a big deal out of it. I don’t _want_ to make a big deal out of it.” Jesse could hear the earnestness in his voice.

 

Guerin didn’t reply for a moment but Jesse saw his head bob. “Alright. If that’s the way you want it.”

 

“Hey, no.” Alex said, reaching out a hand to Guerin’s shoulder. The easy, casual touch made Jesse sick to his stomach. “I’m not calling all the shots here. If you want to make a big deal out of it, then we can find some kind of compromise.”

 

But Guerin shook his head. “Trust me, I already got what I wanted out of this. You can call all the shots you want at this point.”

  
Alex laughed softly. He started to turn as the bartender left them their drinks but he caught Jesse’s eye over Guerin’s shoulder and froze.

 

“Alex?” Guerin asked. Alex didn’t move for a moment longer before a smirk appeared on his lips. For some reason, Jesse felt wary.

 

Alex held his gaze for a moment longer as he moved his crutch to rest against the bar. His hands now free, Jesse watched as he looked at Guerin and whispered something. The uneasy feeling only increased.

 

Jesse could only watch as his son slid a hand into the other man’s curls and pulled him in for a kiss. Right there in the middle of the bar. But his attention was drawn to Alex’s other hand. His left hand slid over Guerin’s hip and up the middle of his back. After a moment, Alex folded four of his fingers down and until only one remained erect.

 

His ring finger.

 

And it had a shiny platinum band wrapped around it.


End file.
